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Jan. 6, 2026

Diabetic skin rash: What it is and how it’s caused

Sandy Trevizo, DO

Medically reviewed by:
Sandy Trevizo, DO

Your skin is your largest organ, and it is also your most visible organ. As such, your skin can serve as a helpful window into your health. Monitoring your skin can help you track your overall health, including the status of chronic conditions like diabetes.

When you have diabetes, the level of glucose (or sugar) in your blood is high, which can cause certain complications. Some of these complications can cause skin conditions, known as diabetic skin rashes and diabetic skin lesions. Sometimes, a rash can be visible even before you realize you have elevated blood sugar levels. In fact, detecting a skin rash may be one of the triggers that causes a medical provider to diagnose a metabolic condition like diabetes.

Read on for more information about diabetic skin rashes, including how to identify and manage them and when to seek treatment.

What is a diabetic skin rash?

A diabetic skin rash is a rash that is more likely to occur when you have diabetes. Different types of skin rashes are associated with diabetes. Some of these rashes need direct treatment, while others may improve when your blood sugar is well-controlled.

What causes a diabetic skin rash?

The causes of diabetic skin rashes are not universal. Some diabetic skin rashes are triggered by elevated blood sugar levels. Some are rashes that occur because the hormone insulin triggers a cascade of other changes and growth factors. Other diabetic skin rashes are triggered by lowered immunity.

What does a diabetic skin rash look like?

Each type of diabetic skin rash and skin lesion has its own characteristic appearance. Here is a description of some of the most common types of diabetic skin rashes.

Cellulitis

Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the skin. It can occur in many places on the body.1 Cellulitis often looks like a reddish patch of skin—it can be warm, swollen, and tender to the touch. It might also appear tightened or glossy, and it may have blisters or pus associated with it.

People who have diabetes are more likely to develop cellulitis due to compromised immune systems. In fact, in diabetes, cellulitis can sometimes begin with an undetected skin injury due to reduced pain sensation. For example, if you have a condition known as diabetic neuropathy, you may accidentally get a cut on your foot and not realize it because you can’t feel it. If left unaddressed, this cut can become infected and develop into cellulitis.

Acanthosis nigricans

Acanthosis nigricans is one of the most classic rashes associated with diabetes. Sometimes this rash alone can prompt a health care provider to check your blood sugar levels. This is true even if you do not have any other symptoms of diabetes. Acanthosis nigricans is often described as a dark-colored, velvety, raised rash. It commonly occurs on the back of the neck and in other skin folds. It is painless. Acanthosis nigricans can also occur with other health conditions, and it can be confirmed with a skin biopsy.2

Granuloma annulare

Granuloma annulare is a rash that is more likely to occur in people with diabetes, although you can also have it if you don’t have diabetes. This rash looks like raised, circular lesions that have a discrete border. These can be salmon-colored, reddish, brownish or yellowish. They sometimes occur in patches of connecting or nearly connecting rings. Granuloma annulare spots are typically painless and are most likely to appear on your arms or legs.3

Acrochordons

Acrochordons, also known as skin tags, are common skin lesions that are more likely to develop when you have diabetes. Researchers believe they may be linked to reduced insulin effectiveness. This is called insulin resistance.4 Skin tags can occur in anyone, especially in areas of high friction. Examples include where a collar or clothing tag frequently rubs. But they are more likely to occur in people who have diabetes.

Candidiasis

Candidiasis, or yeast infections, are skin rashes that are more likely to occur if you have diabetes. The reasons for this are two-fold. First, yeast thrives in a high-sugar environment because glucose is its food source. Second, yeast infections are opportunistic. This means that they are more likely to take hold when your immunity is lowered from a health condition like diabetes.

A yeast infection on the skin is more likely to present in dark, moist areas, such as in the skin folds. It may appear bright red and be symmetrical in areas where the skin touches itself, with scattered satellite or unconnected spots, too. It may be associated with a cheese-like, whitish or yellowish discharge, and it may itch or burn. Yeast in the mucous membranes in the mouth or groin will have a characteristic whitish patch with surrounding inflammation.5

Diabetic dermopathy

Diabetic dermopathy, or “shin spots,” can occur when your blood sugar is elevated. Shin spots resemble flat, brownish patches that are more commonly found on the lower legs. Sometimes these are mistaken for sun spots or age spots, because they look like large freckles. They can be associated with itchy, flaky or dry skin, and they may cause slight depressions in the skin after they have been present for several months.6

Eruptive xanthomatosis

When you have diabetes, you’re also more likely to have other metabolic conditions, such as elevated cholesterol levels. When you have high triglyceride levels, you can develop a skin rash known as eruptive xanthomatosis. This can manifest as small bumps under the skin’s surface with a yellowish color. They may be itchy and pea-sized, and they’re more likely to occur on the hands, feet, arms, legs and buttocks.7

Bullosis diabeticorum

Bullosis diabeticorum is a skin rash associated with painless blisters. These are most likely to occur on the back of your hands or on your extremities (arms or legs). Sometimes this rash can happen in early diabetes, but it’s most likely to present after you’ve had diabetes for a long time. These blisters tend to occur randomly, seemingly overnight, and resolve on their own without treatment.6

Sclerosis-like skin changes

Another diabetic skin rash is the thickening or tightening of skin in various places, which is a condition known as “sclerosis.” Sclerosis can make your skin look waxy. It can also reduce your range of motion. This is especially true if it happens around mobile joints (such as your fingers, a condition called “digital scleroderma”). Another type of skin thickening that can occur with diabetes is “scleredema diabeticorum,” or Bushke syndrome. This type of diabetic skin rash is not on the hands or feet, but instead on the upper back, shoulders or neck. It is painless and can improve with improved blood sugar control.8

Necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum

This type of diabetic skin rash is associated with changes in the blood vessels that can occur with diabetes. It typically occurs on the lower legs and can appear as dark red or purplish spots with a lighter-colored center. They can be shiny, itchy or painful, and they can cause indentations in the skin.6

How to know if you have a diabetic skin rash

If you notice any changes in your skin, it’s always a good idea to check in with a primary care provider or dermatologist for an evaluation. Many rashes can vary in their appearance from person to person, and it can be difficult to make a diagnosis of a diabetic skin rash on your own. A medical professional can examine the rash. Then, they can conduct tests to aid in making a diagnosis. These may include checking a hemoglobin A1C level to assess your average blood sugar level. Then, they can make recommendations for management or treatment.

When to seek treatment for a diabetic skin rash

If you’re worried about a skin rash or other skin condition, it’s important to seek treatment. Some diabetic skin rashes will get better once blood sugar is tightly controlled. Others, like cellulitis, need rapid treatment with antibiotics. This can help prevent the development of more severe disease.

How to learn more about diabetes and diabetic skin rashes

When you have diabetes, your risk of developing skin rashes and skin conditions is higher. However, you can take steps to prevent serious complications from skin rashes by practicing good skin care. It’s also important to follow up with your doctor when you’re experiencing any change in your health status, including a new rash or skin lesion.

Routine visits can help keep you healthy over the long term. To learn more about establishing a primary care provider, get in touch with WellMed today.

References

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